Return To Me
by Eibhinn Eonach
Summary: VERY bad... I was looking through my stuff and found it.. Hermione moves away and ..stuff.. R/Hr, as usual.. oh yeah, there's alot of humor in this. ^_^ don't read, I'm warning you! but if you do, review pleez! ;-D Oh and I changed the title...cuz I wante
1. Chapter one

A/N: I'm smiling at myself at the moment, and how dang CHEESY I am! WARNING: if you are allergic to or have anything against CHEESE (not the dairy product) do not persist. ^_^ It can't help but make you smile (or throw up!!!) . *sigh* I've been reading too many romance novels. They're gonna ban me from the romance section of the library any day now! Won't matter, I've read everything anyway. K! Yeaaaah.....very rushed ...riiight  
  
  
  
Not for the first time, Harry caught Ron staring at Hermione in Potions.  
"Ron" he hissed, bringing him out of a state of deep thought.  
"What?" said Ron, startled. "What'd I miss?"  
"You were gawking at Hermione again, Snape'll notice any second."  
Ron's ears went red. He remembered the last time he stared at her in Potions. Snape had made a fool out of him, mortifying both him and Hermione. "Thanks Harry, I don't want to have to deal with that slimy -- "  
"Mr. Weasley, if you have something to say, please be so kind as to share it with the rest of us," said Snape, poisonously.  
Ron looked down at the table and began preparing his Patience Potion, muttering something about evil professors.  
  
Hermione woke with a grim feeling in her stomach and a terrible pain in her head, the next morning. She glanced at the table next to her bed. There laid the letter bearing the worst news Hermione had ever heard.  
She was moving. It was no cross town move or even a move across the country, her family was moving half way across the world, to Harare, Zimbabwe. She admired her parents for wanting to help the poor children in Africa, but why did they have to bring her? She was going to continue her education at a school in Zimbabwe, one that was nothing like Hogwarts. Her parents had sent an owl to Zara, the school, and gotten all sorts of brochures. The students slept in grass huts, and had to walk in the scorching heat to get to class, which was nothing more than an enlarged version of what the students slept in. There weren't many witches and wizards in Zimbabwe, so their ministry had no reason to redo the school, and most people were so poor they thought nothing of it's terrible conditions . They were leaving for Africa as soon as the term was up.   
It was the beginning of may, giving Hermione only a few weeks to break the news to her friends.   
Hermione quickly dressed, not wanting to waste a moment, for they would be among her last with the people she considered family. She bounded down the stairs to the girl's dormitories and found Ron and Harry playing wizard chess. As usual, Ron was wining. She resolved to tell them that day, before it got any more painful.  
"Morning, Hermione." Said Ron, happily.  
"Hello," she replied, distracted. Harry waved as a sign of acknowledgment; he was trying to think of where to move next.   
"You certainly are cheerful this morning." Ron said, sarcastically.  
"It's just..... never mind" Hermione didn't want the look on Ron's face to fade. He looked pleased and lighthearted, his eyes gleamed in a way they seldom did. Hermione mentally shook herself. She realized that she was, once again, noticing the little things that made Ron so wonderful. Not that she could ever tell him so, it would be far to embarrassing. And besides, even if she did love him, it was a feeling that would never be mutual.   
"Ha!" Exclaimed Harry, moving his bishop. "Take that!"  
Ron grinned and directed his king one space to the right. "Check Mate"  
"I don't know how you do it, Ron," laughed Harry. "Your like a chess prodigy or something,"  
"yeah, come one and all to see the great Ronini! Chess prodigy!" Ron joked. Hermione hadn't even smiled. "Hermione, are you sure you're all right?"  
"I'm ...fine," a picture of the horrid little hut they called a school flashed into her mind. She sighed.  
  
"I'm gonna do it tonight," said Ron, for the fifth night in a row. "I'm gonna tell Hermione how I feel."   
"You do that," Harry said, polishing his Firebolt after Quidditch practice.   
"you don't think I have the guts, do you?" asked Ron, not sounding the least bit offended by Harry's disbelieving tone.  
"Honestly, no." Harry chortled. "You've said you were gonna tell her almost every night this year, and she's still in the dark,"  
"well, I see no reason to rush, now that Krum's out of the picture." Hermione and Viktor had broken up over the summer. They had decided to only be friends. Hermione had said she was kind of uncomfortable with the age difference, her being fifteen and him being eighteen. "I still want to tell her, though."  
"Well, here's your chance. It sounds like the prefects are back from that seminar thing..."  
Ron turned an interesting shade of red "I'll just ... go tell her....now.... I guess..." He got up from his bed and shakily walked down the corridor and to the common room. He spotted Hermione talking with Angelina Johnson about the prefect's meeting.  
She smiled at Ron. "Hello, Ron. I was wondering where you and Harry were."  
"We were up in the dormitory..." he mumbled, staring at the floor.   
Angelina raised an eyebrow at Hermione, knowing what was coming next. She was a dear friend of Hermione's and knew all about her crush on him. She was also Fred's girlfriend, and had to listen to him complain about Ron's attitude before Hermione came to stay in the summer holidays. Not to mention that a blind man could see how Ron felt about her. "There's Fred. I think I'll go say "hi," and leave you two alone." She winked at Hermione.  
Hermione shot her a desperate "don't leave me here!" look. She hated being alone with Ron, they always argued. And when they weren't fighting, Hermione was left to notice everything Ron did, and often feared she'd break down and tell him.  
"Er...Hermione??" Asked Ron.  
"Yes," she replied, also staring at the ground.   
"Can.....can I tell you something?" he said.  
"Er....sure..."  
"well," he began, feeling all the blood drain from his body. "I just wanted to say....... The moon is really bright tonight!" Ron blurted, glancing out the window.   
Hermione felt her heart fall in disappointment. "yeah. I really need to study for the exams, so please excuse me." Ron watched, helplessly as she walked towards the girls dormitory. He scolded himself. *You're such a coward! You can't even tell her how you feel! you IDIOT!* He stalked to the dormitory.  
"Did you do it?" asked Harry.  
"No. you're right. I haven't got the guts to tell her. What if she was to laugh? what if she were to look at me like I was a sea-slug or something....like Fluer did..."  
Harry laughed. "Ron, this is Hermione we're talking about. She's not a stuck-on-herself veela, but an average human being."  
"No, she's not!" Ron exclaimed. "she's not average. She's wonderful. her eyes are so beautiful, they let you see exactly what she's feeling. She's so smart and diligent, I've never met anyone like her. And her hands, she's got the most beautiful hands I've ever seen..."  
Harry was covering his ears in mock pain. "No more poetic stuff, please! You're killing me!"   
Ron threw his pillow at Harry, laughing. "all right, all right! Then you gotta shut up about Cho!"   
"Hey!" I don't talk about her that much!"  
"You don't when you're awake, but you should hear yourself when you're asleep!" Ron was in a fit of laughter. "Oh Cho! Just let me kiss you!" he said, imitating Harry.  
Harry turned bright red, remembering that scene from his last dream. "Shut up!"'  
They laughed and talked about dreams and girls for the rest of the night, or at east until the rest of the fifth years came to bed.  
  
Hermione wanted to kick herself. She had let the entire month of May slip away without telling them about her move. *At least I didn't let it effect my exams*, she thought. As usual, she had gotten top marks on every thing. There were only a few precious days until the end of term banquet, and very little time to tell her friends.   
She had to do it that night, procrastinating would only make it worse.   
"Um ... Harry, Ron?" she said to them. It was a warm, lazy day, and nobody felt like doing anything at all.   
"hmm?" they replied, both of them had their eyes closed, basking in the sunlight.  
"I'm moving" she blurted, tears springing to her eyes.  
Ron rolled over "You'll still go to Hogwarts, right."  
"As long as you're in the British Isles, it shouldn't matter." Added Harry. "You don't even have to be in the UK, you could be in Ireland."  
"I doubt Zimbabwe counts as the British Isles." Hermione stuttered, tears streaming down her face. Ron and Harry bolted upright.  
"Zimbabwe!" exclaimed Ron. "Why on Earth are you moving to Zimbabwe?"  
"My parents! Th-they were chosen to become dentists for the countries who don't have many... "  
"Are they mad?" said Harry. "It's terrible there! Isn't that where all that drought and famine is? And I hear there are diseases left and right over there!"  
"I know!" Hermione exclaimed, burying her head in her hands. "I don't want to go! I've never been good with heat! I've fainted from it a number of times! And worst of all is the school! It's just a giant grass hut and the education is terrible!"  
"When are you going?"asked Ron, fighting the tears in his throat with everything he had.  
"Right after term ends! We're going strait to the airport from Kings Cross!"   
  
The ride to Kings cross was not a pleasant one. Hermione frequently burst into tears and neither Ron or Harry were able to comfort her. When Draco Malfoy insulted Hermione over how much she was crying, Ron lost it. He lunged at Malfoy and took him out with a single punch. "Anyone else want to try me?" Ron shouted at all the Slytherins. They all glared, but none spoke up.   
Hermione was off visiting with some of her girl friends when Ron broke down.  
"Damn, Harry! This isn't how it's supposed to be!" He ran his hands through his hair, frustratedly.  
"I know. She can't move! Things will never be the same without her." Harry wanted to break down, himself, but needed to be strong, for all three of them.  
"I've got to tell her before it's too late. And it looks like it already is!" He glanced out the window, the train was Cross Station was coming into view. Ron collected himself and went to find Hermione. They bumped into each other as Hermione went to find them. She threw herself into Ron's arms.  
"Oh Ron!" She cried, sobbing into his shirt. "I'll miss you so much! How am I going to live without you..... and Harry and Ginny and everyone! I love you all!" she was shaking violently.  
Ron wanted to kiss her. He really, really wanted to kiss her. It was perfect, here she was, distressed, and coming to him for comfort. And what better way to comfort her than to kiss her? He took her chin his hands and stared in to her large, beautiful brown eyes. Ron felt his insides give a nervous twitch. Just as he leaned in towards her, the train came to a halt, sending them crashing to the floor. Ron quickly got up. It was too late, he had lost his nerve. Instead he took her chin in his hands and said the words he didn't even believe,"you'll be fine. We can always write."   
"I guess so..." she said. Hermione went to collect her trunk. Harry came up the corridor.  
"Are you all right?" he asked Ron, who looked devastated. "What happened?"  
"Nothing, literally nothing." Hermione met up with them. She kept sobbing, unable to speak for sorrow.   
They walked through the barrier in silence, and met their rides in even louder silence. Hermione kissed both of them on the cheek and hugged all of her girl friends. She got in her parents' car, and stared, helplessly as the motor started.  
Ron jerked out of a state of shock. He suddenly realized that if he was ever going to tell Hermione how he felt, he had to do it now. The car was pulling out of the parking lot, Ron ran after it.   
"Wait!" he cried, "Hermione," he fell back as the car turned onto the freeway "wait..." he whispered, feeling tears run down his face and onto his neck.  
"Ron...," asked Harry, delicately. "are you ... okay?"   
"No!" he yelled, suddenly. "She's gone! I may never see her again and she doesn't even know I love her!"  
"You can always write her." Harry offered.  
"It's not the same! I need to be with her. I can never kiss her now, I can never see her! And she's in danger, Zimbabwe is awful for her health!" he fell onto his knees. "Oh, Lord, keep her safe."   
  
  
A/N - I redid the chapters cuz those were..lol.. waay tooo long.. so yeah.lol.. ReVIEEEEWWW!  



	2. Chapter two... oh you all know what's go...

After nearly seven and a half hours of sight seeing, The group retired to a small, romantic French restaurant over looking the Themes River. They managed to get a table next to a large window, where they could see the full moon reflected upon the Themes  
Hermione sighed. "It's so beautiful.'  
"Yeah,' agreed Ron, not looking at the river, but at Hermione. A waiter came to the table Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were sitting at and started talking in rapid French. To everyone's surprise, Hermione laughed and replied, also in French.   
Harry raised his eyebrows. "You speak French?"   
Hermione grinned self conscious "yes... I took an extra course in muggle school that taught French."  
"Let me guess, you took an extra course to learn calculus in Preschool and learned the art of Cooking Sushi in First Year?" Said Ron, acting a bit more like his sold self.   
Hermione smiled. "How did you guess?"  
  
They were nearly through with the main course when Ron realized how dignified they had all been acting, and decided to put an end to it immediately. He reached into his glass of soda pop and puled out a large piece of ice.   
"Hermione, look at that boat out on the river." Directed her attention to the Themes, which was completely void of boats.  
"Where? I don't see it." She said.  
"Just keep looking, you'll see it." He slipped the ice down the back of her shirt.  
"AHH!" she squealed. "What was that?" a piece of ice fell into her hand. "Ron! Now you're gonna get it," she giggled and pulled ice out of her drink.  
"Have mercy on me!' Ron said, sarcastically, as Hermione threw the ice at him. "That's not how ladies should act!" he threw ice back at her. Before they knew it, all four of them were involved in an ice fight, which ended when their parents shot them the look of death. They were all shooed out to the back garden, sopping wet with soda pop.   
"Oh, look! there's a path!' said Hermione. A little side walk followed the river. "Lets take a walk!"  
Ron bowed, as if he were asking her to dance. "I would be happy to escort you, madam,"  
Hermione smiled and took his arm. "Come on, Ginny and Harry. Lets go."  
Ginny started walking, but Harry grabbed the back of her shirt. "We'll catch up. I left something in the restaurant and Ginny's gotta help me find it." Harry shot Ginny a look.  
"Yeah, we'll be right there, you two go ahead and start walking," they went back into the restaurant. "Harry, why are you doing this?"  
"What am I doing?"  
"You're setting them up!" Ginny said.   
"They already love each other, they just need an extra nudge. It's always been like that, even when they were just friends."  
"But isn't Ron already going out with that scary Lavender girl?"  
Harry's face fell. "Ginny, what day is it?"  
"The nineteenth, Hermione's Birthday, of course."  
"No, I mean what day of the week is it."  
"Tuesday, why?"  
Harry slapped himself on the forehead. '"Because Ron is in big trouble with 'that scary lavender girl.' Today was their anniversary. Ooh, he's in deep shit"  
  
Hermione looked out over the river. They had gotten to a part of it where there were boats ("Don't tell me to look at the boats, I don't trust you" Hermione had laughed) and lights. On the Horizon, you could just see the lit up London Bridge. Hermione sighed. it was so nice to see all of the sight s of her home land.   
A cold breeze was beginning to blow from the water. "Brr..." Hermione shivered, "it's getting rather cold."  
"Here,"offered Ron. "Let me warm you up," he brought her closer to him. they had stopped walking and were poised. Hermione realized how close they were. She couldn't remember feeling like this since her last train ride to Kings Cross, when Ron had comforted her in the same way he was now. "Better?" Ron asked.  
"A...a bit" Hermione said, meekly. Ron pulled her even closer. Hermione felt her insides contract as their lips grew closer. Hermione closed her eyes as they kissed. It was the most wonderful feeling she had ever felt. passion had a new meaning, and her humanity soared to new heights. The intimacy was unbelievable, she was dazed by the whole affair.  
Ron realized that kissing Hermione brought him more delight than kissing Lavender. He had never felt anything so divine in his life. They broke off, breathless. Hermione gazed at him, bewildered.   
"Ron...?" she said, softly.  
"Yes,"  
"What was that all about?" she asked. "I mean, why did we kiss like that?"  
"Because I love you, Hermione."said Ron, tenderly. 'I've loved you since I can remember."  
Hermione was silent for a moment. She had broken into tears. "I love you, too, Ron," she laid her head affectionately on his shoulder. He kissed her forehead.   
"we'd better get back, soon, before they come looking for us," Hermione whispered.  
"yeah, I guess you're right." They got up from the patch of grass they had been sitting on and began to walk back to the restaurant. Neither of them said a word on the way back, They were both too stunned to speak.  
  
Harry knew at once that something had happened. They were far too silent for their walk to have been uneventful.   
"It was just a friendly little walk, Harry," said Hermione, overhearing what he was asking Ron.  
"yeah, a little too friendly, if you ask me," he grinned. "Love the lipstick Ron. It's a good shade for you."  
Ron went bright red. Hermione covered her eyes with one hand and handed Ron a tissue with the other (she always carries tissues in her handbag) Ron violently tried to wipe off the makeup, but wasn't doing very well. To Ron's horror, Ginny was coming back out of the restaurant and strait towards them.  
"Ron, what happened to your face?" she asked. "Is that...? it is!' She exclaimed. "It's the same exact shade of lipstick that Hermione's wearing," she cried with relish. "whoo, way to go, Ron!'  
"Shut up," said Hermione. "I think you've been spending too much time with Fred and George."  
Ginny held her tongue around the parents, but whenever she caught Ron alone, she'd make a comment. She spent the entire cab ride to Harry and Ron's apartment giggling and cat calling.   
Mr. and Mrs. Granger were going back the Burrow with Mr. and Mrs. weasley, but Hermione and Ginny were both sleeping at Harry and Ron's apartment. ("we'll only let you stay if you shut up about me and Hermione" said Ron, as his mother was fussing over Harry) Hermione summoned hers and Ginny's things and began setting up for bed, as it was already 11:00, 4:00 china time, and Hermione was exhausted.   
When all of the parents were gone, Hermione changed into her pajamas. As she was coming out of the bathroom, she bumped into Ron.   
"going to bed, Hermione?" he asked.  
"Yeah, I'm extremely tired. Crossing four time zones isn't as easy as it looks," she smiled. "Ugh, and I've go this terrible pain I my neck, I fell asleep strange on the plane."  
Do you want me to give you a massage?" he offered.  
"That would be wonderful, thank you," she cast a glance down the hall and into the front room, where she could hear Harry and Ginny laughing. "Err, could we go in your room, Ginny's already got enough to black mail us about."  
Ron chortled. "Yeah, I'm just lucky I don't live with her anymore."  
They walked to Ron's room. "Why did you move out so soon, anyway?" Asked Hermione, as she sat down on the bed.  
"I guess because I was sick of being overlooked, you know, being the sixth son. I love my mum and dad and my family but it just gets annoying."  
"I guess it would, after eighteen years. I wouldn't know. I'm an only child."  
"Yeah, you're lucky." Ron laughed  
"I guess, in the sense that I don't have to share my parents, but I'm not lucky, also. It gets kind of lonely, only having your parents there to talk to. If I need advice, I only have two alternatives, my mum and my dad, and it's hard to talk to either of them. They've always pressured me to be the best," she imitated her father's lecturing tone. "'Hermione, you're never going to get anywhere by slacking off. You get what you earn, so hard work id the only thing that can get you where you need to go.' He never stops! I just got so used to listening to him that I started saying it myself. Before I knew it, I had no personal life, I was all about school work. You and Harry not only saved me from that troll, but you saved me from my chains, my parents." Hermione turned and smiled at him. "It was the best thing that ever happened to me, I'll never forget that Halloween,"  
' I never knew that night meant so much to you," said Ron, baffled by women.  
Hermione gazed at him with the gentle look of a deer. "It was the night I realized I was so mean and bossy around you because I liked you"  
Ron raised his eyebrows. He smiled fondly and kissed her neck. "Ooh, I hated you in first year. Before Halloween, that is. I didn't think of you as anything but a friend until Third year, when you hugged me for the first time. After that, I vowed not to make you cry anymore."  
Hermione snorted "it didn't work very well, did it"  
"No. My anger gets the best of me a lot. I was going out of my skull with jealousy at the Yule ball. I could've killed myself afterwards, for being so mean to you. Did I ever apologize for that?"  
"no,"  
"Well, I am now."   
Hermione smiled warmly and fell asleep in his arms.


	3. Chapter Three (yes, my chapter names are...

A/N - hello! Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers! I hereby pronounce you the nicest group of people ever! ^_^ OK, so this has nothing to do withthe story, but last night I had a freaky dream that had nothing to do with me and I wasn't even in it...lol!  
  
*  
Hermione sighed as Lavender pulled into the driveway of 378 Mulberry Street.  
"Here we are..." said Lavender. "I just can't believe Ron!" she shouted, suddenly vociferous. "I doubt he'll ever grow up."  
"Yeah...I can't believe him either," Hermione trailed off. She looked up at the house. It was a tall, narrow brick building with ivy crawling up the front. There was a small front garden compete with a bright assortment of flowers and flawless emerald grass. Hermione wondered how someone who was only just out of school could acquire enough money to buy such a splendid home. "Do you live with your parents, Lavender?"   
"No, I've got this place all to myself." She replied as they got out of the car and headed up the front path. Lavender searched through her purse until she found a large silver key and unlocked the beautiful French doors.   
Hermione marveled. if she had thought the outside was beautiful, it was nothing compared to the inside. The floor was covered in tile and a staircase with a burnished bronze railing spiraled to the second floor. A large chandelier hung elegantly from the vaulted ceilings; it was gold, dappled with crystals. on the side of the entry hall there was another pair of French doors that led to a much humbler parlor that was attractive nonetheless. A mahogany China cabinet housed a vast assortment of tea cups and saucers and light, airy curtains covered an exquisite window with a view of the fountain in the front garden and a window seat. on the opposite wall, there was a very comfortable looking couch. In front of the couch was a coffee table, set with a porcelain tea kettle intricately painted with scenes of fairies and butterflies with matching cups and saucers sitting dormantly beside it.   
"goodness. did your parents pay for all of this?" Hermione asked.  
"No..."  
"How on earth did you ever manage to afford such lovely things?" she said, eyebrows arched.  
Lavender smiled, rather slyly in Hermione's opinion. "Oh...I get what I want..."  
Hermione was baffled by this response. She was about to open her mouth in question when Lavender asked her if she would like some tea.  
  
*  
  
"Okay, so we know she's in a car going...somewhere..." Ron stopped pacing and sat on Harry's bed. "but where?"  
"She was with Lavender." Harry offered. Ron groaned. "Sorry ... not much of a comfort, is it?"  
"No, " Ron put his head in his hands. "It's not..."  
"I don't understand why lavender wants to hurt you like that" Harry said.  
"because she's a jealous bi -"  
"HEY!" Ginny shouted from the hall. "LEMME IN OR I"LL CALL MUM!"   
Ron groaned again and got up to let her in. "shit," he exclaimed.   
"awwwww." ginny said, laughing. "It's not nice to be a potty mouth!"  
Harry shot ginny a look. "What's wrong, Ron?"  
"I've just remembered... Hermione's Parents! What will they do when they learn that we''ve lost their only daughter?"  
"Hermione's a big girl," Ginny remarked. "She can take care of herself,"  
"yeah, but Hermione's always complaining about how overprotective they are of her," Harry said. "I sure hope they've changed...."  
Ron made a strangled noise and pulled out his wand. "*Locarious*" a silver orb floated from the tip of Ron's wand and revealed a rather foggy looking picture of Hermione sitting in an elegant parlor. As the picture became clearer, a faint conversation could be heard.   
"Who needs Ron." Lavender said. "I'm sure there are tons of men out there who would fall all over themselves for a date with em. maybe I could set you up, too"  
Hermione looked up. "I don't know..."she said, meekly. "It will probably take me quite a while to get over ... everyhitng. I don't know... I guess I'm terribly naive, but I've always imagined myself with him..." She choked and looked away, becoming suddenly intrigued by the moving portrait of Parvati Patil.   
Lavender sighed. "Oh forget about that git. I know the perfect guy for you." She giggled. "His name is Diego de Vasco and he's the greatest. Tall, dark and handsome. And Spanish." She giggled again. "I've known him for ages, and I would have gone out with him if it weren't for Ron. I would never have betrayed him! Not in a million years!"  
Ron scoffed. "What is she talking about? if she wouldn't betray me in a million years, then time must have passed really quick."  
"Diego De Vasco. Why does that name sound familiar?" Harry said, half to himself.   
"Shhh," ginny hissed, trying to hear what Hermione and Lavender were saying.  
"oh...well...I still don't know..." Hermione said.   
"come on! It'll be fun! I'll get myself a date and we can go double!" Lavender got up and went through a small servant's door. A minute later, she came back with a large, leather bound address book. "Let me see...who can I get to be my date..." she started flipping through the pages, mumbling to herself. After finally deciding on Terry Burman, she got up again and returned moments later with her owl.  
"We can go meet Diego now, if you like." Lavender said. "He doesn't live far, we can even walk if you don't mind going the muggle way. His servants are all muggles, so they wouldn't be too pleased if we appeared from thin air,"  
"servants?" Hermione inquired as Lavender pulled her by the wrist and out of the house.   
Harry bit his lip. "Ron, I've got a really bad feeling about this Diego guy... I don't know where, but I know I've heard of him before...and whatever was said about him, it wasn't good."  
"I've never heard of him, but I hate him all the same, " he paused and glared at the orb. "She's mine!" he cried to the apparition of Lavender. "And if your stupid Spanish friend lays one finger on her I'll kill you! Do you hear me? I 'll kill you!" by now he had proceeded to smacking the orb, which gave a small hiss and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.  
  
*  
  
A/N - interesting, huh? I know where I am going with this!...for once...!!!!!! weeeeee!! I am gonna have much fun writing these next chapters!!! Review, reveiw review review...please. ^_^  
  
Disclaimer (which was forgotten in th e other chapter) - I own absolutley nothing so why even bother to tell you that i do cuz i'd then be sued by my idle and the Warner bros. cuz they are money hungry idiots. :-) 


	4. uhhh... 4!.

A/N - haii! I gots a bad bruise on my knee cuz I bounced into a chair when I was hyper one time...heheh...you all just needed to know that didn't you? Anyway, this next part of the story came to me while I was in the middle of helping my mum and I ran off to write it and my mum got mad at me...yes, sad, isn't it? so...yeah...  
  
*  
  
Hermione shivered slightly as Lavender rang Diego de Vasco's bell. Anyone could plainly tell this house belonged to a Spaniard, the traditional English charm had been replaced with an exciting Spanish air.   
"Hola, puedo ayudarle?" said a woman in an apron. " Si usted está buscando Diego, él está en su sala" (A/N- [to the kewl people who actually speak Spanish] I got this Spanish off a translator. According to me friend SSJ's sister, they're very unreliable. It's probably wrong...so sue me ^-^)   
Hermione shot Lavender a confused look. She smiled and tossed her brown hair. "We don't speak Spanish." Lavender said.  
"Eh? No entiendo." the woman said, shaking a feather duster at them.   
"er..." Hermione said. "No....Hablo...Espanol?" she said, uncertainly.  
"Oh, oh...si! " the woman beckoned for them to follow them. She led them to a parlor, where a stunningly handsome man, dressed all in black, sat.   
"Hello, Lavender."he said, his words blended with a brilliant Spanish accent. "Who's your beautiful friend?"   
Hermione felt herself blush at the flattering mention of her. "I - I'm Hermione Granger..." she stuttered. Hermione found herself become nervous under his sharp gaze.   
"Well, hello Hermione Granger. I am Diego de Vasco." Diego took her hand and kissed it, smiling mischievously.  
"So, anyways." said Lavender. "We came over to ask you if you would go double with us. You would be Hermione's date and I'd go with someone else."  
"That sounds ... wonderful..." he said, still staring at Hermione.    
Hermione swallowed and shot lavender a look...a look that she chose to ignore.  
"Great!" she said, happily. " Your chauffeur can pick us up at seven." Lavender paused, glancing at her watch. "Well, we've got plenty of time until then, why don't we stay for tea."  
"Er...Lavender..I don't feel very well... I think I'll go back and lay down for a while..." Hermione said. She hadn't been lying, either. The fact that any man, aside from Ron, was giving her such a look...well, it made her feel sick. Especially in light of the whole affair that had gone on just that morning.   
"Oh...ok, then..." Lavender said. "I guess I'll come with you, then," she turned to Diego and gave him a sickening flirtatious smile. "See you at seven!" She turned and exited the room.   
"Audious." said the woman with the feather duster as she showed them the door.   
"...Er...Yeah...Bye..." said Hermione. She winced. The pain in her head was enough to make her want to throw up. "Lavender." She said when they had gotten half way home. "I really don't feel so well."   
"You're just nervous. I don't blame you. Diego is enough to make anyone nervous," she giggled.,"I remember the first time I met him..."  
Hermione only half listened as Lavender talked and laughed at her first meeting with Diego. This little *meeting* seemed like a date to Hermione, and she said so.  
"What...? What gave you that idea?" she said, fidgeting with her shirt.   
"Well, you were at a restaurant and you went to his house afterwards..."  
"I would never cheat on Ron!" She said, her face beginning to turn slightly pink. "I've already told you that!"  
"Er. Sorry, then... I didn't mean to upset you..." Hermione said, as Lavender glared.  
"Well,...I don't like being accused of things I would never do! I *highly* disapprove of cheating."   
Hermione noticed Lavender's gaze shift as she said this, but decided not to press the issue. Lavender was the only person she could stay with at the moment, as she wouldn't go back to Ron's apartment for her life and he'd be able to get to her easily at the Weasley's house. Ron knew very well that Lavender wouldn't let him near her house, so Hermione was safe there.   
When they reached 378 Mulberry (A/N - Lavender's house, remember?), Lavender called the doctor. He prescribed a certain potion, for he was a wizard, for her headache and left without a fuss.  
Hermione drank the bitter tasting potion in a single gulp. "Ick," she said, making a face. "That tastes disgusting."   
"That's too bad." Lavender said, distracted. She was busy trying on dresses for their dates tonight. "How's your head feel?"  
Hermione got the distinct impression that Lavender was more worried about success of the date then her health. "Much better, actually,"  
"good. Then we can get you ready for tonight." She wandered over to Hermione and brought her to her closet. Her wardrobe was as splendid as her house was; she must have had hundreds of dresses in her enormous walk in close, all of them cut rather low. She walked up and down the row of dresses muttering to herself, occasionally grabbing one.   
"Here we are!" Lavender said, happily, as she set an assortment of frocks for Hermione to choose from.   
"Oh, dear...I don't think I can choose..." Hermione stammered, admiring the dresses.  
Lavender laughed and tossed her hair. "I know the feeling. It's just ever so hard choose, isn't it? If you don't mind the suggestion, I think red looks best on you."  
"Erm... no, I don't mind at all...I guess I agree... I haven't given 'my colors' much thought, really..."  
"oh, you should! All women need to know what looks good on them,"  
"er...I suppose so..."  
"Here," Lavender said, handing Hermione a short red dress. "go try this on."  
"Okay..." Hermione took the dress and headed for the bathroom. When she had gotten it on, she spun before the mirror to see how it looked. It was a very pretty dress, dark scarlet with an A-line hem. Hermione stepped out of the bathroom.  
Lavender looked up. "Oh, yes. that'll do nicely " she paused. "now...for the make up" She went into the enormous bath and went through the cabinets, pulling out a tiny make up case. "Stand back," she said.  
"Wh - 'Hermione began, but was cut off as the make up case expanded and grew before her very eyes. "Wow!"  
"Yeah, isn't it cool? I got it the other day at Diagon Alley."   
"It's... amazing..." Hermione said in awe. "But what would someone do with so much make up?"  
"Put it on, silly," she said, laughing shrilly. "Hm.. lemme see..." she looked at Hermione for quite awhile before pulling out compacts of eye shadow, blush, and lipstick of every color, some shining or glittering. She beckoned to Hermione. "We're going to start with some lipstick," she pulled out a tube of red lipstick with gold swirled in it and applied it to Hermione's lips. She stood back and smiled. "Yes, that 's perfect." She finished with Hermione's make up and started on her own.  
They were ready. Hermione, in her red dress and gold eye shadow, and Lavender, in her long sparkly blue gown and pale blue make up, walked elegantly down the stairs, and to the parlor. A few moments later, the doorbell rang, and Diego and Terry (A/N - lavender's date..you guys should really pay more attention...[jk] lol) stood on the stood, both looking dignified and handsome. Hermione let go of her fears slightly.  
It wouldn't be until later that she realized that was her first mistake.   
  


*  


AN - I end with an exciting thingy mabob! riiight. so...review!   
  
oh, and this is dedicated to Ashley (magicalangel) who only bugged me three thousand and four times to get this up. Three thousand and five is when i lose it..^_^   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. ooh, i serious name.

A/N - weeeee! Fifth chapter! I wonder how long this story will be... ::is sad cuz she can't find her dad's Sinead O'Connor CD:: wah.. er...excuse me. WA in Ashley's terms...lol. ::finds CD:: Weeeee! ::sings:: I don't wanna be no man's women! ::stops:: er.. Yeah.. No Sorry about not warning you all about the lack of Ron in the last chapter.  
  
*  
Hermione sat in the limo, thinking about Ron. What would he do when he found out she was going out with someone else? on the very day they broke up, nevertheless. Why did she care? She sighed and looked out the window.  
Lavender poked her. "Aw, come on, Hermione. Have fun!" she said, giggling.   
Hermione looked up at Lavender, Terry, and Diego. They all looked nice enough, and like they were having a good time. Why should Hermione make herself miserable when she could be having fun? Hermione smiled and vowed to have a good time.   
They arrived at the restraint; an elegant, Roman style one with fountains, statues, and mosaics of ancient gods and goddesses. They sat at a table on the balcony which over looked the main fountain. It was a detailed statue of a Roman gladiator fighting an enormous lion with spears and arrows. Hermione marveled at the intent look of concentration of the gladiator's stone face as he aimed his perpetually unmoving bow at the magnificent creature and the ferocity of the lion's eyes and jaws. The fact that artists could carve emotions out of stone had always amazed Hermione, and she sat, staring at the statue for minutes before she was snapped out of her trance by Diego.  
"So, Hermione," he said, staring at her with that awful hungry look again. "I'd like to better get to know you. Tell me about yourself."  
Hermione felt herself blush slightly. "there's really not much to tell... I..I'm a muggle born who's family has traveled around the world for a while..."  
"hmm, that sounds interesting" he said. "What was that like?"  
"Horrible. I missed all my friends so much, especially..." she choked. She was going to say Ron, but found she couldn't form the words. She looked away and into the crowd below.   
Form somewhere in the depths of the restaurant, music started to play. Diego stood and took Hermione's hand, leading her to the dance floor. He took her in his arms and began to dance.  
Hermione felt herself shudder. It was not the kind of tremble she felt when with Ron; the warm, happy disbelieving chill that went down her spine when she looked int Ron's eyes, but a shiver caused by some mysterious emotion. Not love, or even lust, for that matter, quite the opposite, in fact. From somewhere in her subconscious, she felt a growing sense of panic, fear, and a longing to get away.   
She gazed at Diego. He was so opposite of Ron. She could remember his pale, freckled skin in comparison to Diego's darker, olive toned arms and face. And Ron's warm blue eyes compared to Diego's fierce, black ones. She had always loved the brightness of Ron's hair, and found herself become sad at the sight of Diego's dark brown, nearly black locks. The Spaniard had a dignified, manly smile; completely opposing Ron's boyish, lopsided grin. She sighed and tried her best to fight the tears that had formed.   
"Hermione..." Diego said, looking at her intently. "You seem like a very fascinating person..."  
"Er..thank you...I guess..." Hermione stammered.  
He winked at her and reached a hand behind his back, and pulled a very peculiar golden knife from thin air. He handed is to Hermione, who took it.  
"ow!" she exclaimed, as the sharp point cut the palm of her hand. She watched as the crimson blood ran down her wrist.   
Diego smiled.   
  
*  
Hours after the date, hours after Hermione had fallen asleep, even, she woke abruptly. Her hand throbbed in pain, though she knew there was no reason for it to. she had cured the cut up as easily as if it had been nothing more than a needle's prick. There wasn't even a scar from the strange golden knife. Hermione got up and walked to the bathroom and turned on the light. On the palm of her right hand there was a large, crescent-moon shaped scar. Hermione jumped at the sight of it; it hadn't been there before she had fallen asleep. And then there was the dream...  
It was more a feeling than a dream; a sense of growing weakness and enslavement, as if all of the strength was being drained from her body. Form behind a thick curtain of mist, she could hear a strange sort of laugh; cold, and unearthly. From behind the mist came a face ... the face of Diego.  
Hermione stood in the bathroom and wondered why she had had a dream like that. *It was probably just because I cut myself on his knife. * Hermione thought. *And because I don't think i was ready for another date...especially with someone like Diego...* Nevertheless, she couldn't shake off the feeling that the cut was part of something strange...something...sinsister.  
*  
It was dawn on the day after Hermione had stormed out of the apartment when Ron woke. He had had a terrible night's sleep; every dream he had was about Hermione, and they weren't nice once. All of them had to do with her being enslaved or threatened and killed.   
Ron bolted upright at the climax of one of those dreams sweating and frightened. He came out of his bedroom and onto the balcony that overlooked the city. The rising sun cast golden shadows over London's streets, houses, and Medieval looking buildings making the town look like something out of a fairy tale. Ron sighed, wondering what his dreams could have meant.   
Hours later, Harry woke from a very peaceful rest. He went out of his bedroom and went to make coffee. Since he was usually the first awake, he was startled to see Ron on the balcony.   
"Oi, Ron! What are you doing?" he said, opening the door to the Balcony.  
Ron looked up at him, his sticking up as he ran a hand through it. "I'm just thinking ... "  
"About Hermione?" Harry asked, sitting in the chair next to Ron's.   
"Yeah. Hey Harry? OD you think dreams have meanings?"  
Harry raised his eyebrows "...Some, I guess... I dunno...why?"  
" I kept having dreams about Hermione being in danger, but I dot know what it means..."   
"It probably just means that you're worried about her." Harry said, consolingly. "Don't worry about it."  
"I dunno... I guess."  
  
Later that day, Ron and Harry were Diagon Alley looking at Quidditch supplies with Fred and George, who had just been accepted onto England's national team as Beaters, when something he would never had expected happened to Ron. They were looking at the newest model broom (the LightningStreak) when everything went black. Hermione's shrieks filled his ears and chilled his heart and his head swam. Ron was barely conscious as he went clamoring around the shop screaming "Hermione!" and only stopped when he felt the cold floor against his head. Tasting the salt of his own blood, he sat up, his mind returning to Diagon Alley and the Quidditch shop.   
Harry watched him with wide eyes. "Ron... Are you...okay?"  
Even Fred and George were concerned. "What happened?" asked Fred, cautiously.  
"You were having a fit or something..." George said, looking rather pale.   
"Hermione..." Ron croaked. "Sh - she was screaming ... and.. I dunno what was happening to her...but it wasn't good..." he stood up dizzily. "I need to find her." He said and walked out of the shop.  
"Ron! Wait up!" called Harry, hurrying after him. "How are you going to get to her? Lavender's probably got some spell up her sleeve to keep you away."  
"I...don't know.. But somehow, I'll get to her... I have to..." Ron said, determined. Harry just shrugged and followed him; it was all Harry could do at the moment.   
*  
Hermione woke that same day feeling stiff, fatigued, and tired. Like Ron, she hadn't slept well. The Dream haunted her all through the night, a golden knife plunging out of nowhere, and Diego's snarling grin looming where ever she turned.   
Hermione moaned and rolled over as Lavender pulled apart the drapes, letting light flood the room.   
"Up and Adam, sleepy!" Lavender said, extremely perky for that time in the morning.  
"Just five more minutes" Hermione muttered as she pulled her pillow over her head.  
Lavender giggled and said, "Aw, Hermione, you gotta get up now! We're going to go to the park with Diego and Terry in an hour."  
Hermione wasn't tired anymore. She bolted upright, eyes wide. "What!? W h- why?"  
"Diego was very interested in you. I think he likes you a lot" she giggled again. "Who knows, you might even get married someday."  
A picture of Hermione in a wedding dress -- a black wedding dress, for some reason -- popped into her head. Hermione shook herself and tried to tell Lavender about the cut.   
"I'm sure it'll go away ... maybe the spell was faulty.." Lavender said, disconcerned. She might have been imagining it, but Hermione swore Lavender was avoiding her eyes. Lavender told her to get ready and quickly went out of the room.   
Hermione quickly got dressed, staring at her scar the whole time. When she was done, she tried removing the scar with her wand, but nothing worked. The scar was engraved upon her palm forever.  
"Hermione!" Yelled Lavender from downstairs. "They're here! Come down!"   
Hermione groaned and played with the hem of her blue T-shirt. She walked out of the guest room and down the beautiful grand staircase to see terry's pale hair and Diego's raven colored locks. He looked turned around to gaze at her with his onyx eyes; she smiled back politely, feeling her stomach turn in fear.   
"Ahh, Hermione," he said. "I have been in sorrow since we parted" his eyes glittered, Hermione swallowed hard.   
"Er... isn't...nice outside," she stammered, trying desperately to change the subject as they walked to the park.  
"hm...? Yes, it is," he said, not paying attention. Instead, he stared intently into her eyes. Hermione shifted uncomfortably.  
Something glinted from Diego's belt. It was a splendid leather case with gold letters imprinted in some other language. The print was loopy and strange, but somehow familiar. The print was not Roman, as was used in both the English and Spanish, but a   
haunting sort of font.   
Diego smiled as he watched Hermione, entranced by his knife. He slowly pulled it out of the hilt, letting the sun glint against it almost menacingly. He ran the tip of his finger across the duller edge of the blade, sending chills down Hermione's spine. She felt almost controlled by it; controlled by Diego. He lifted it high into the air and brought it down up on the soft bark of a nearby tree.  
Hermione gasped. She was no longer in the middle of a bright, cheery park, but in a dark, dungeon-like corridor. The floor was ridden with damp, and the walls seemed to be covered in a sort of slime. Hermione shivered and got up from the cold floor, but fell back violently. Her strength was gone -- no, not gone... *leaving*. She could feel the energy dripping down her spine, melting off her body. She became weak and plunged to the ground, screaming with all her might. From what seemed like miles away, a cold, mirthless laugh filled her heart. "Diego," she cried, gasping for breath.  
"yes, my love?" he replied. Hermione shook her head and blinked a few times. She was no longer in the dank dungeon, but in the park once again. Not only was she back in the park, but she was in Diego's embrace, his arms snaked around her waist.   
"N - nothing... I "m okay now..." she said, feeling more and more uncomfortable in his arms. Hermione withdrew and started babbling about the weather again, unable to shake the feeling that her dream had left her with a bit less strength than she had before.   
  


*  
  


A/N - sorry, it took longer than I expected it to. I hate writing chapters when I dont know what I'm gonna do in the main plot thingiemajigger, so... I had to stop and bug my friends for ideas ... thanx guys. I know, I know, I was annoying, but, oh well. I'm always annoying. lol. oh, and meet my good friend Mr. review box. He gets lonely when people dont review, and do you really want to have to live with the fact that you made Mr. review box sad?  



	6. ...short.... all is well..la dee da

A/N - hiya peoples! Is this all getting too. er? Well, it started like it would contain muggle problems -- love, moving, jealous girlfriends, all that jazz -- but from here on out, it en't gonna be so muggle... starting next chapter it'll be very magical indeed. If this is getting ... off the wall or anything, just tell me in a review. K? K! also, I used to be called Medivalmaiden ... but I changed my name, so ... yeah.   
  
*  
Ron stopped at the front gate of Lavender's house. There were sure to be a spell to keep him out, but what lay beyond the barriers of her house belonged to him. Hermione. She was in danger, but Ron didn't quite know why, or how.   
"what's wrong, Ron?" Harry asked.  
"There's gotta be a curse to keep me out. She's done it before. I don't want to end up with 1st degree burns again..." he shuddered, remembering the time they got in a fight (A/N - about the time the girl was in Ron's bed. Scaaary) he had gone to apologize, set foot in her yard and found himself five feet out into the street, burns covering his body.   
"Then let me go in first," said Harry.  
"yeah, sure, you can be brave," he said, chuckling slightly. "She doesn't have the place booby trapped for you."   
Harry laughed and cautiously stepped into her yard. He looked back and waved sarcastically. "oh go on!" Ron said, laughing. Harry walked to the front door and rang the bell.  
"You might want to go hide, Ron. She won't let me in if she sees --" Ron dodged out of sight seconds before Lavender opened the door. "Hi, Lavender. Is Hermione here?"  
Lavender shot him a suspicious look. "Are you here on Ron's errand," she said, her hands on her hips.   
"no," he lied "I just want to see Hermione. I mean, she is my friend and I haven't seen her in a while..."  
"Oh," lavender said, perkily. "Okay, then. I'll get her. HERMIONE!"   
"WHAT?"  
"HARRY'S HERE TO SEE YOU!"  
"OH!" there was the sound of a door slamming and someone running down a hall. "Hey Harry... Did Ron send you here?"   
"no, I just came to see you. I've missed you when you were gone."   
"Oh ... do you want to come up to my room?"   
"OK," he said, glancing at Lavender. She smiled -- rather fakery, Harry thought -- and said, "I'll stay down here. I've got some. work. To do,"   
"Okay... " said Harry, as he climbed the spiraling stairs. Hermione led him down a hall full of portraits and statues. She opened a door at the end and lead him into a large room with an enormous window.   
"So. what did you want to talk about?" she asked as she sat in a Victorian style chair by the window.   
"Ron."  
Hermione groaned."I thought you weren't here because of him."  
"I lied." Hermione scowled and turned away. "He's going mad without you! You have to give him a chance!"  
"He said he loved me, but he lied. He had lavender, and he wanted me, too. I will not be the second choice, and I will not be the ''mistress' in this game!" she shouted.  
"He Never loved lavender! He always loved you! You were all he could think about, Hermione!"  
Hermione stood up quickly, knocking over the chair she as sitting in. "Well, Apparently, he had more on his mind than just me when he was sleeping with Lavender!"   
Harry stood there, speechless for a moment. "What are you talking about? He's never slept with anyone!"  
"That's not what Lavender told me! She said that he was horribly perverted so she slept with him to get him to stop but it didn't work!"  
"LAVENDER'S A --" He stopped and lowered his voice. "Lavender is a lying bitch, and you should know better than anyone! She was always so mean to you in Hogwarts, what makes you think she'd be any better now?"   
"People change, Harry," said Hermione, her face cold as stone and her words sharp as knives. "And I think *you* should know that better than anyone, since you and Ron seem to have changed quite a bit,"   
"Hermione! Please, just trust me on this! He needs to see you! He wants to apologize! I'm afraid he wont last much longer if you don't go see him. He cant stand the rejection! He had a fit in the middle of Diagon ally; seemed to think you were being attacked. He told me how everything went black, and he heard you screaming. He's falling apart! He cant even sleep, or eat! And you know it takes a lot to get him to not eat."  
Hermione smiled a bit at the last sentence, remembering how he used to eat so much, and never gain any weight. Her smile quickly turned to concern. *He's not eating? He can't sleep?* she thought, frantically. "Harry, are you telling me the truth?"  
"yes, I am. " Hermione looked at the floor for a moment. "don't try and deny it, Hermione. I know you still love him, and I know you can forgive him, if you look into your heart and try. He loves you. You two were made to be together."   
Hermione felt her eyes well up in tears. She missed Ron, and she knew Harry was right. She did still love him, and wanted with all her heart to forgive him. She sat on the bed, head in hands, crying.   
Harry walked over to her and out his arm around her. "I do still love him!" she wailed. "I want to forgive him, but... Oh Harry, why did he have to do that to me? I trusted him."  
"Shh, I know. He was caught up in the heat of the romance, he just...forgot... Forgive him, Hermione. Please, for your sake and Ron's."   
Hermione wiped her eyes. "Okay, I will. I have to see him, could you take me?"  
"he's right outside, ...hiding somewhere..."  
"Why didn't he come in?"  
"Well, first of all, I don't think you would have wanted to see him," Hermione laughed. Harry continued. "And second of all, she's probably got a charm to keep him out."  
"Oh yeah... I remember her telling me something about that...Then... I'll go see him now." She got up and walked out of the room, Harry following close behind. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she cast a nervous glance around the front hall.  
"What?" asked Harry.  
"I don't want Lavender to see..."  
"Shouldn't she be happy for you, and be glad to get her privacy back?"  
"No ... she's still mad at Ron, and I don't want her seeing him ... and..." Hermione stopped.  
"And...?" Harry continued for her.  
"And she has me set up with this friend of hers ... and... I don't know how she'll react when I break up with him..."  
"Diego de Vasco. I know."  
"How did you know that?" Hermione asked, her eyebrows raised slightly.   
"You're not the only one who can conjure up a tracking spell."  
Hermione laughed. "Spying on me, are you?"  
"well, I wouldn't call it that..." They walked out of the doors and into Lavender's Ron garden.   
"of course you wouldn't call it that, but that's what it is," she laughed.   
Harry chuckled and went through the gate. "Ron!" he called. "It's okay, she forgives you." Ron hurried towards Hermione and took her in his arms.   
"Hermione!" he said. "I've missed you so much!" he kissed her gently on the mouth.  
"I've missed you, too, Ron. I...I love you..." she said, nearly in tears as she kissed him back.   
"I Love you, too!"   
Harry sighed and leaned up against the garden wall. All was right in the world...  
For now...  
*  
A/N - THE END!!!!!   
  
  
(joking)  
  
Another A/N - aww, come on. You didn't think I'd let it end just like that did you? nah, there's still some loose ends that I have to tie up ... some looser than you might expect ... oh, yes. My mind is seething with evil little plots ... ut you must wait till next time ... yes, I enjoy toturing you...lol. Sorry 'bout the shortness...but I think I know a good way to start the next chapter.....MWAHAHAH!!!!  
  
Disclaimer - ...WAH! I own nothing.... Call the evil WB lawyers off! WAH!   
(don't you think what WB did was rather childish? They was gonna ban all the Harry potter websites cuz they thought it would make them more money. *tuh!* ::gives WB deadly *hermione look*, which she has perfected so well::   
  
I am talkative tonight, so one last thing: REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!!! thaaank you!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. umm.. short.. kinda.. scaryish... and sa...

A/N - i have been putting this off.... ish. ... cuz.. i have had other things to do! like ... nothing!!!! er.. yeah.. so ... as I said ... it isn't so muggle in from here... ::in deep mystical voice:: so if you are afraid of magical thingymabobbers ( ... why would you be? you is a harry potter fan, right?) turn back now! MWAHAHA!!!!!!!!! this is kinda confusing .. so.. er.. lemme sorta explain it here. this starts right after Lavender tells Harry and Hermione she was work to do. it's repeating for that purpose.. not a typo or something ... this is what Lavender was doing while they were out in the front garden and all that...   
  


*  


Lavender pulled her phoniest smile on Harry. "I have some ... work ... to do..." she said, and headed off into the kitchen.   
Or so it appeared. Instead of entering the Kitchen she stopped in the servant quarters and opened a small, barely noticeable door, leading to a dark staircase lit only with torches. She stepped over the threshold and slowly climbed down the stairs and to a dark, dungeon-like room.  
In the middle of the room was a large pit that looked as if it had once been used for a bonfire. The shadow of a man was etched against the stone dingy walls. He was hunched above the pit, his brow furrowed, a look of painstaking concentration on his face.   
The cloaked man raised his arms; a small, gold flame arose from the midst of the pit . He lowered his arms, then brought them up again in a single, violent motion. The flame grew. It consumed the entire room, pushing Lavender into the walls. It resided into the pit, but was no longer fire. It had somehow changed to a boiling golden liquid.   
The man, who should have been badly burnt, brought his arms down and turned to Lavender.   
"Harry potter is in this house." He said, in a low hiss.   
"Yes. He is here to see Hermione." Lavender replied, in a quiet, yet unconcerned voice.   
"Harry potter never brings good news. I have a bad feeling about him being here."  
"It's all right... Hermione isn't going to go back with him. I could convince her that her own mother never loved her, certainly i could get her to stay just a few more nights.  
"A few nights is not enough. She's a tough one ... she won't give in easily. Too concerned in what she thinks is right..." The man paced around the pit. "She's noticed the scar... You must act quickly."  
"Yes. I'll start tonight. It won't be that hard... Perhaps we could even involve Ron... " She replied sinking into what looked like a black velvet throne.   
"We only need one more ... and Ron isn't pure enough."  
"You accepted me! You said I was even less pure then Ron!"  
He turned sharply at her insolent tone and grabbed her chin. "Do not talk to me in that voice." He slapped her, and she fell to the ground. "I accepted you because I knew you could recruit more. You have the seductive air that could win over strong men. You have the friendly personality that could bring me pure maidens. You, yourself, are nothing... You gave me nothing." He hissed.   
"I'm. I'm sorry.... I can bring you Hermione. I know I can! She's the key... She's the last we need before we overthrow --"  
WE!?" The man shouted. "It is *I* who will win ... you will be nothing."   
"Please..." Lavender sobbed. "when you have Hermione... Please, let me stay! Don't cast me out. I have. .. many talents... "   
I shall think about it. I cannot guarantee anything... "  
thank you! Thank you!" Lavender graveled.   
The man looked into the golden liquid. "Hectus Garblud Bey'oit Harem" He shouted. The pit frothed and swirled into a whirl pool; a large bubble formed and hovered over the pool. An icy wind blew through the chamber, and the bubble began to spin. it span faster, and faster until the blurred form of a girl appeared in the middle. She was on her knees, her hands chained behind her back.   
The robe-clad man stretched his hand out to the bubble, touching it with his fingertips. He swirled his hand, disfiguring the girl and the dungeon she had been inside of. The wind started up again, blowing the hood of the cloak off the man's face.   
It was Diego.   
Lavender covered her eyes as a blinding flash was emitted from the bubble. The wind calmed, but Diego was no where to be seen. She glanced into the bubble, which had begun to spin again.   
Diego was inside of the bubble, behind the girl. He put a hand on her shoulder.   
"Please! let me be!" She cried, desperately. "I don't want to be part of you anymore! I DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU!" she shrieked.  
"Dear girl..." Diego whispered. "You are already a part of me... I have grown more powerful on your blood ... on your strength... "  
"LEAVE ME ALONE!"  
"There is no you. You are weak ... you are nothing. I could have used you. You could have saved yourself ... stayed alive. You fought. You brought this upon yourself." Diego took the golden knife from his belt and raised it into the air. With a mad gleam in his eye, he thrust it downward, and into the girl's back.   
Parvati Patil fell dead.   
Tears leaked from Lavender's eyes. She had killed her own best friend, sold her to Diego. *What have I done!? I'm a monster! * She fell to her knees and sobbed into her robes.  
The wind began again; Diego appeared in the room again. Lavender looked up at him with tearstained eyes. "why did you have to kill her?" she asked, meekly.   
Diego knelt down,"She was weak. There was nothing more she could do for us."   
"You could have spared her!"  
"No. She would have told the ministry. we can't let that happen"  
"She was my best friend!"  
Diego looked into her eyes. "I am your only friend now."   
Lavender collapsed into his arms. He looked startled, and raised his arm to smack her, but stopped half way. For the first time in a long while, he showed some compassion.  
  


*  


  
  
  
AN - ... that was short ... depressing, too. I'm sooo sorry it took so long... I know, i KNOW, it took FOREVER! I forgot about ff.n for a while... wah. anyways... REVIEW REVIEW REVIEWWW! I'll only keep going if I get 50 good reviews!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Joking. Lol.. heheheheheh. evil me!  
  



End file.
